<p>In the past few months, I've been thinking about a personal dilemma that has arisen because of a friend's actions. This friend I've known for a long while, but in recent years we've been a little distanced. He's not a very good student and is known among our other friends as a persistent liar (he lies mostly about stupid things, but it bothers us). However, what has been more serious is how much he cheats. He rarely does homework and almost always copies it from someone else. But that's not what I'm whining about as that is quite prevalent in most schools anyway. </p>
<p>I thought he would have had the moral aptitude to truthfully complete college apps, but he even failed to do that. This is what I'm disappointed about. He lied about some portions on his activities log, claiming leadership positions he's never had. But here's the real shocker: He didn't even write his own essay. </p>
<p>He had another one of our friends write it for him and while most of us can't get over the fact that the second friend would do that, it doesn't seem like a huge deal among the others. But this essay is not only serious plagiarization, but a breach of a contract, and thus illegal. The university has not released its decisions for my friend yet, but I am considering contacting the university if he is accepted. </p>
<p>The real part of the dilemma regards the other friend who wrote the essay. He also applied to the university and if they inquire, they may ask me to name the aiding culprit. While the second friend was an idiot to do the essay, he is a good student and merits a good education. However, if found out, his application may be rescinded. And if lie about him not writing it, then I may get in trouble as well. Uh oh?</p>
<p>When he gets to college, one of two things will happen. He will either be forced to be truthful, and most likely do very poorly, or he will cheat, get caught, get expelled, and be royally screwed.</p>
<p>With that said, my advice is to not worry yourself with it.</p>
<p>Let this one go...I hate cheaters, but basically its all hearsay anyway, no matter what you "know"...do you think they will seek you out? don't think so...so you won't have to lie to cover for a friend....colleges don't have time to seek 'evidence' for something like this...my instinct tells me, if they suspect plagerism, they will find a way to reject the student without giving a reason why...because after all, instinct is not "proof" and to behonest, colleges don't have time to do detective work...</p>
<p>you friend has plausible deniablilty here...he can deny that someone else wrote his essay and then what? the school won't accuse him unless they have some proof..they may deny him, but won't say why...</p>
<p>So, again, while I hate cheaters, you calling the college and going</p>
<p>My friend BOB didn't right his own essasy, his friend FRED did...if they reject the student on your telling them they are opening themselves, as well as you are to problems, you may be right, but that is irrelvant, you have no proof and they will deny it anyway</p>
<p>OK, I understand you're morally conflicted, but this battle isn't yours to fight. You didn't write this kid's essay for him, so you shouldn't feel guilty or worry yourself about it. If you call the college after he's accepted, the only thing you're doing is hurting your cheating friend and probably helping yourself sleep. You need to definitely leave this alone. It's not your problem to fix and you don't want to be a tattle-tale.</p>
<p>1) Call and ruin both their lives for good.</p>
<p>2) Ignore it and don't bother.</p>
<p>I would personally do the second, because during his first year, the ''cheater'' you're talking about will get screwed over in university, and will get kicked out for ****ty grades. Therefor the problem will be eliminated. Whereas if you call now, you put 2 people or possibly more into getting rescinded, and you really don't want that on your conscience.</p>
<p>"But here's the real shocker: He didn't even write his own essay. "</p>
<p>The sad truth is that a significant percentage of college essays are written by non-applicants. Parents, relatives, teachers and admissions consultants have all been known to write essays that are then passed off as "admission essays".</p>
<p>"1) Call and ruin both their lives for good."</p>
<p>The OP wouldn't be ruining both of their lives for good. It's far better that both of them learn now about the consequences of cheating than they learn about this later in life when cheating could result in jail, loss of job options, loss of a spouse, etc., not just loss of a college admission.</p>
<p>That being said, however, I don't think that the OP should bother to let the college know. The OP isn't directly involved since he didn't write the essay. I think, though, the OP should think very seriously about whether he wants to continue to keep either of those students as friends.</p>
<p>Just let it go, live your own life. Snitching is not going to resolve the problem. I think there something behind this other than it being "morally wrong". Why would you ruin the future lives of two other people, if they continue,eventually they will be caught. </p>
<p>Most likely they will deny the fact , being they did not have a moral compass in the first place. You will end up looking like the a**hole. DONT DO IT, it could only hurt you.</p>
<p>I think the reason you're getting different responses than "It's your moral obligation to tell" is an issue of proof. You don't really have any. All the other students need do is deny your allegation and then what? Unless you actually saw the other student write the essay and your friend copy it onto his application, all you are basing this on is hearsay, notoriously unreliable. And not information to which colleges are likely to lend credence.</p>
<p>I agree with Northstarmom in this situation. Do you want these kind of friends?</p>
<p>I agree with Northstarmom...distance yourself from both of them as friends.
I also think you should stay out of this situation and keep your mouth shut. Cheaters eventually get caught up in the lies that they live with and live by.</p>
<p>Yes, it is immoral, but you are not the morality police. You will most likely come across other situations like this throughout your life. Unless you are directly involved, I think you should just back off. Not only can you disrupt these people's lives, but yours could get messy too if you rat them out.
Let it go</p>
<p>And to those who say that this kid will flunk out of college anyway, I've a story too. There's this brilliant genius at my school, who takes home every math competition. However, he copies for all other classes and manages to still ace them. Not only did he cheat in school, he also added like 400 hours of community service that he never did to apps. And exaggerated lots of activities. This isn't the kind of people who'll flunk in college because they're too smart.</p>
<p>my feeling is, as long as they're not bothering you, go ahead. If he wants to cheat off of you, then no. If you get rejected from that school and he got in, then you should raise some objections. Otherwise, ignore these losers.</p>